Living together

Friday

Jul 23, 2010 at 2:00 AM

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 The country is teetering these days. Seems to be about Mexicans and others of Spanish descent making border crossings into the United States. Reminds me of earlier history when we tossed out the natives - some called them Redskins - when President Andrew Jackson ordered the Indians to leave their homes and cross the Mississippi for good. Such an evil man to order the natives out of their ancient lands!

Sherrill Smith

The country is teetering these days. Seems to be about Mexicans and others of Spanish descent making border crossings into the United States. Reminds me of earlier history when we tossed out the natives - some called them Redskins - when President Andrew Jackson ordered the Indians to leave their homes and cross the Mississippi for good. Such an evil man to order the natives out of their ancient lands! Nez Perce chief Joseph was far more civilized than white leaders. “Whenever the white man treats the Indian as they treat each other, then we will have no more wars. We shall all be alike - brothers of one father and one mother, with one sky above us and one country around us, and one government for all.”

Unfortunately it came to pass that land west of the Mississippi seemed to white skins to be ideal territory for redskins. The crossing was dreadful. By 1837 some 46,000 native Americans had been ushered across the Mississippi. It was a disaster of unbelievable proportions. The River was like a closed gate. Four thousand Cherokees died en route, more than a quarter of their entire population. Nowadays we see make-believe civilian gunmen working to keep Mexicans on their own side of our common boundary.

We have to think deeply about this conflict. One thing that does not apply to us: we are not native-born Indians able to trace our origins to the ice age, a people who cared for this beautiful land of trees and vegetation, mountains and rivers and creatures for countless centuries. European explorers then claimed and stole land from the natives between the Atlantic and Pacific. These are tough thoughts and history rightfully claims the truth of undeserved thefts. Toss the Indians across the Mississippi? Really? And how about slaves stolen from Africa? When did they get voting rights?

Okay, we are looking at vast agricultural territories in need of helpers from across our southern border, willing agricultural employees to cultivate our food supplies. Dad and Mom often become parents of Mexican babies born on-the-job. Things get complicated. Thoughts of children born in this country. Birthplace: USA. Sort of like our immigrant grandparents being imported from Europe to work in Massachusetts factories and black people stolen from Africa and chained to lower decks for their Atlantic crossings. All skin colors are beautiful. White people assumed but did not know that white skin made them superior to others. Not knowing better, they stupidly assumed top of the ladder recognition. Blacks, whites, yellow, tan…the rainbow is ever beautiful whenever seen.

So what this is all about is learning to help those who need assistance and those who can bring it. If Mexican laborers are here to provide for themselves and their families, that’s a good thing. The poor come here to work. Income is a desperate need and anyone lacking interest in this international neighborhood might well research American claims for absorbing Texas. California was better known to Mexicans and Orientals before we took it over.

Possibly some of our successful companies have already found properties for the making of certain goods by Mexican employees. That idea is too loose for me but the obvious reason so many Mexican farm workers are on our side of the border is, of course, the availability of employment income to support their families. Sort of like agriculture in all our states. If wages are higher elsewhere, farm help is needful. Considering our grab of California, Texas and other western territories, I am all for Spanish and English living together. Surely we can register bilingual states.